An Alternate Conquest
by Arksendis
Summary: When Takumi survives Suzanoh and is made a prisoner of war, Anankos' power within him lies dormant. His only hope of safety is to seek asylum within a mysterious country called Ylisse. Seeking the help of the Shepherds, Takumi desperately searches for a way to rid himself of Anankos' curse and restore order to Hoshido and Nohr once and for all.
1. Captivity

Before he knew what he was doing, he had leapt up onto the parapet.

The height was dizzying, but the wind was exhilarating. He closed his eyes for but a second, relishing in the feeling, the cool breeze brushing past his burning skin.

Burning…

He felt as though he was burning from the inside out, his entire body aflame. The flames compelled him to stand on the edge now, shouting hateful words he wished never passed through his mouth. Even with the soothing breeze, the flames continued to roar inside of him, consuming him in their ever-eternal hunger.

Out of his swimming vision rimmed with fire, he saw his sister's heart-shaped face crumpling in despair. He wanted to reach out and reassure her, to wipe such an expression off of her lovely features, but he found himself unable to, unable to reach past the fire.

He felt his body drifting backwards.

 _No…_ he thought in horror. He was going to fall.

No, falling wasn't the right word.

Falling was an accident.

This…this was jumping.

Or rather, a stepping point.

He was stepping off of the stones, he realized belatedly.

He scrambled for purchase, sudden panic seizing through him and quelling the fire for a time. Twisting, he clawed for grip on the stone barricade, grasping on for all he was worth. He could feel the flames desperately pulling at him, urging him to _let go_ , to _succumb._

With a grunt of anger, he stubbornly clutched to life, from his mouth a steady stream of curse words.

His sister reached over the stone, extending a hand. In his tunnel-like vision, it was the only thing he could focus on. Those hands, her long, unblemished fingers reaching for him. He felt his grip loosening as the fire stripped away his strength.

Finally, with a gasp, his hand rose to met hers, just as his other hand slipped from the stone.

He felt a millisecond of terrifying weightlessness before their hands interlocked.

"Hold on!" Kamui shouted, straining with effort. From her hand, a coolness seemed to emit, further dispelling the flames.

"Kamui!" Takumi gasped, his other hand reaching out before floundering in the air for a moment. Her other hand came to meet it, and they held onto each other.

From behind, Azura took ahold of Kamui's waist and began to drag her back. Another soldier took ahold of Azura and supported her, too. Slowly but surely, Takumi was lifted, his feet finally meeting solid ground.

He collapsed on the wall, his head spinning. Kamui—Corrin, he corrected himself—was still holding his hand, and the flames were all but gone, a mere afterthought.

A sheen of sweat covered his forehead. He wiped it off with a gloved hand before collapsing back. His vision was swimming just as his thoughts were, and he felt exhausted. He just needed to…close his eyes for a moment.

The moment passed.

* * *

Takumi woke.

He sat up abruptly, the cot underneath him uncomfortably hard. He stood abruptly, but his vision spiraled again. Resting a hand on a cold wall, he steadied himself before looking around.

His heart dropped.

The only light came from torches in the hall. Bars separated him from the dank hallway, and a freezing draft swept through. Though his cell was equipped with a blanket and cot, it was still uncomfortably cramped and cold. A leak incessantly dripped, water collecting in the corner of his cell by a bucket. He grimaced.

He walked to the bars, rattling them once to test them. Sturdy.

Hatred filled him.

He had wanted so desperately to live—but what kind of life was this? He tried to make out the cell opposite him, but there was no occupant. There was no movement around him. It seemed as though he were alone.

Dejected and angry, he paced back to his cot, returning to the bars again. He continued in this fashion, unable to stand still. The constant _drip drip_ of the leak was incredibly annoying.

Irked, he continued to pace until he was intimate and familiar with his uniform surroundings.

It was infuriating, waiting for something to happen. It was as if time itself had stopped, and he was the only being in the world able to move about. The only assurance that time was actually passing was the constant drip of that horrid leak.

Finally, a Nohrian guard approached the cell. Takumi immediately began to shout, demanding to know where Kamui was, but the guard wordlessly slid a tray under the bars before walking away. Takumi hurled himself against the bars again, watching the guard's retreating back hopelessly.

He glanced down at the tray. Bread that wasn't stale, a generous cup of water, grapes, cheeses…

He tried to resist the temptation, pushing the tray away at first. It was Nohrian food, a far cry from Hoshidan delicacies. They had most likely poisoned it. Nohrians weren't to be trusted—especially since he was alone in his cell, no other inmates surrounding him. This food was the likely way to kill him.

He sat back in a crouch, staring at the food dejectedly. It seemed fit for a last meal, equipped with regular food rather than prison food. He couldn't imagine prison food being this luxurious. It _had_ to be a last meal.

He wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

With determination, he pushed the tray away, closer to the bars. Folding his arms and ignoring the gnawing in his stomach, he returned to his cot and sat on it, staring at the wall opposite. Within minutes, he was bored out of his mind again.

The darkness outside his cell turned to a gray afterthought, signaling the coming of the morning. Takumi glanced down at the tray still lying innocently in front of his cell. That must have been his breakfast. He scoffed, before reaching out with a foot and pushing it farther away.

After a while, a raging thirst overtook him. Eyeing the cup of water, he resolved not to drink from it. Instead, he steeled himself and deliberated for many minutes before finally giving in and walking to the leak. Shuddering, he thrust his head under it, catching the droplets in his mouth.

For a time, the _drip drip_ sounds ceased.

The water was metallic but not foul. He surmised it was probably safer than the cup, anyways.

By the time the gray light turned back to darkness, Takumi had received two more trays. They taunted him, all sitting at the forefront of his cell. It seemed the guards didn't want to retrieve the earlier trays until they were cleared.

Investigating them, Takumi forcibly shoved aside the food, trying to keep his eyes off of it. He examined the trays, scowling when he realized they were made of some flimsy metal. Not good for combat. He tried to bend one, fashion it into a useful shape, but the tray was brittle, breaking with a great shattering sound. He glanced outside his cell, but no guards rushed to apprehend him.

Pieces of tray littered the floor now, sparkling in the torchlight. They were too thin to be of any immediate use. Though…

He picked up a few of the longer pieces, pocketing them. He could wedge these pieces between his fingers and use them to put more force behind punches. He could potentially draw blood this way. This plan in mind, he returned to his cot, shuffling to the other side of his cell.

As the night passed, he grew more exhausted. He hadn't done anything, and he could feel his muscles aching, pleading to be used, but he could do no more than simple exercises in such a small, confined space. Finally, dissatisfied with the day's events (or lack thereof), he laid down on the cot, staring at the ceiling.

Slowly, slowly, he drifted asleep.

* * *

He jolted awake, screaming.

Two guards came rushing to his cell, both checking to make sure he was okay. Incoherent, he assured them both that he was fine before he realized where he was. He spat at them to leave, and they did.

The torchlight flickered in the grayness.

His sheets and tunic were soaked through with sweat. He took his sweat-soaked sheets and tried to rub himself off the best he could. When his sweat dried, the cold draft wouldn't do him any good. He took a few deep breaths, continuing to work. It took his mind off things.

There were four trays in his cell, now, including the one he had shattered in half. He placed all of the food on top of one tray, stacking that tray on all the rest. He threw the water out of his cell before stacking the cups neatly, arranging them on top of the stack of trays. He swept up the remnants of his third tray, placing the shards in one of the emptied cups.

With nothing else to do but wait, Takumi put himself through several strengthening exercises, even going so far as to jog in place. He was careful not to work up a sweat, taking many breaks. His small workouts weren't satisfying him, though—he had to go harder.

Impatience and fury came at him in waves. He rattled the bars more than was necessary and kicked at any stones to see if they were loose. He kicked at more stones, gaining nothing but a throbbing toe in the process. He searched for an escape in the floor, but there was nothing.

Boredom was eating him whole.

"Am I supposed to rot in here?" he yelled out of the cell, but there was no response. He snorted. Figures the guards would have selective hearing.

His stomach growled loudly in the quiet space, and he sat down, massaging it, willing it to be silent. He could feel a strange fatigue spreading through his limbs, and he knew that he had burned calories earlier in his workouts. Cursing to himself, he berated himself on his foolishness.

He tried to will himself to sleep again, but it didn't work. The fifth and sixth trays arrived, both of which he pushed aside. That meant a measly two days had passed since he had been placed in the cell; he felt as though much more time had elapsed.

When he woke the next morning, drenched again, he bit his tongue to keep from crying out. The guards didn't come running this time, leaving him without human interaction again. At least yesterday morning he had seen their faces, the pale, almost translucent skin of the Nohrians.

After the seventh and eighth trays had been pushed in and discarded, footsteps echoed down the corridor. Takumi listened hard, but they didn't possess the same heaviness of the armored boots the guards wore. Deciding this was worth his time, he stood from his cot, swaying slightly. The lack of food and minimal water was taking its toll on him.

"Prince Takumi."

A man stood outside his cell. Takumi recognized him, faintly, but couldn't put a name to the stranger. He had dull gray hair, nothing like Takumi's silver locks. An eyepatch obscured one eye from view, and his figure was swathed in dark Nohrian clothes. His skin was curiously dark, a trait shared among Hoshidans.

Takumi felt his lip lift in a sneer. "Come to gloat?" he hissed angrily, moving swiftly to the bars and wrapping his hands against them, arms wide. " _Nohrian scum_."

The man seemed unfazed, his absent gaze drifting over the pile of neatly stacked trays. Though he put on an air of indifference, Takumi could see thoughts flickering in his one eye like koi fish in the spring.

"You haven't been eating," the man said, pointing out the obvious. The implications of his tone, however, told Takumi much more.

"Good to see you've noticed," Takumi retorted. "Perhaps your guards would take a hint and stop bringing the trays."

His biting remarks were doing nothing to the man, whose impassive yet sharp gaze turned back to Takumi. He didn't know what to make of this man.

"I'm not here to give you pity, if that's what you want," the man finally said, nudging the bars with a boot. "You're forcing this upon yourself. If you want to die of starvation, be my guest—you'll get no sympathy from me, prince."

The honorific was added on in mockery. Takumi's scowl deepened.

"Listen, scum," Takumi seethed, leaning forward from his position. "When I get out of this prison, I will _tear Nohr apart_ , piece by piece, starting with the traitor."

 _Traitor…_

 _Betrayal…_

The fire licked at his insides, and suddenly the hunger pains that he had felt disappeared. The world seemed to crumble around him, leaving only himself and the man standing outside the cell. He wanted to reach out with the flames, to grasp the one-eyed man's face, to watch as the fire swallowed him whole. He wanted to hear the man scream for mercy.

He would get no sympathy from Takumi.

The heat forced him forward, his hand outstretched through the bars. He felt something bubble up in his throat, searing and wonderful. A laugh of some sort. His feet moved of their own accord, halting just before the bars.

 _Drip…drip…_

He whipped his head to the side angrily. The one-eyed man was speaking again, but Takumi didn't bother to listen. Instead, he focused his gaze on the leak from the ceiling. The water coalesced on a tiny stalactite. When it grew too heavy, it dropped down to the ground, making the tiniest of sounds, echoing in the silence of the prison. As he watched the water, the flames seemed to die down.

The embers remained.

The one-eyed man looked apathetic as always as Takumi surfaced from his sound-cancelling state.

"…send others down to check on you. After all, you were asleep for two weeks," the man was saying. "Hopefully it won't be me, again. Keep skipping out on the meals. If you die, it'd do both you and me a favor. Though it'd be sad to see your pretty face go…"

He turned on his heel and walked away, his steps light and meandering.

* * *

By the tenth tray, a new visitor had arrived.

He was…

"Prince of light! Beware my dark presence—will you be able to withstand the aura of shadows I exude?!"

…a character.

Takumi found himself averting his gaze as another man entered the cell block. His footsteps were heavy, like the guards, but not armored and not very loud. He walked with a purpose, his steps confident and, as he came into view, incredibly jubilant.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Takumi asked sharply, trying to look anywhere but the man's exposed chest. "The court jester?"

The blond man looked genuinely hurt. "Why, prince of light—I serve under my master, Lord Leo! I am one of his retainers. You may call me Odin the Destroyer!"

"…Odin," Takumi reaffirmed. The man nodded wildly, grinning.

"And, my friend, Prince Takumi of Hoshido, I have been sent on an…admittedly strange mission," Odin said in his theatrical, booming voice, shrugging. "I have been informed that you are not eating? Sustenance is key for a warrior of darkness—"

Takumi tuned him out as he went on a spiel. Sometimes he would nod or grunt in acknowledgement, but Odin's words flew in one ear and out the other. He felt a strange surge of fascination watching the other man talk, gesticulating wildly and pacing back and forth, unable to keep still for very long.

Takumi hadn't realized he had stopped talking.

There was a moment of silence before Odin quietly said, "You need to eat, Prince Takumi. Lady Kamui really cares for you, you know. That's why you were placed in this separate cell block."

Takumi snorted. "Tell your little princess she can stop caring," he muttered.

It explained the lack of prisoners. Still, they placed him in the cell with the leak. He highly doubted that was out of the goodness of Kamui's heart.

Odin looked genuinely hurt for a moment, and Takumi felt a brief flash of guilt before clamping down on it immediately. He owed nothing to this sick _Nohrian_. Though, admittedly, Odin was more tolerable than the other Nohrians.

He just needed to learn to tune the man out sometimes.

"…look, I'm sorry," Takumi huffed, crossing his arms. "But I won't eat Nohrian food."

Contrary to what reaction he had predicted, Odin's face lit up. The retainer grinned.

"Never fear, prince of light!" he proclaimed, and Takumi stuffed down a groan. "I, Odin Dark, know _just_ the solution! Wait here!"

Takumi bit back a sarcastic retort. Of course he would have to wait here—there was nowhere else to go.

Enough time passed that when Odin returned, Takumi was seated on his cot, thoroughly convinced the retainer had gone. Odin carried with him a tray, laden with two covered bowls.

"The castle cook didn't know much," Odin said softly in that same voice he had used earlier, "but these were made of the ingredients we could dredge up. You were in luck—Lord Leo was able to buy goods from a passing Hoshidan merchant but a few days ago."

He bent down and pushed the tray through the cell before sitting back on his heels, looking for all the world like an excited puppy. When it became apparent he wouldn't leave until Takumi investigated the tray, the Hoshidan sighed and bent over, sitting crosslegged and setting the tray across his lap. Odin mirrored his position on the ground, sitting opposite, excitement barely contained.

One of the bowls was hot to the touch. Takumi uncovered it, discovering a watery miso soup, bits of tofu floating in its brownish broth. The other bowl held merely rice, unformed and, as he picked up one of the grains, slightly undercooked. A fork was provided rather than the usual chopsticks.

He glanced back up, and Odin's excitement seemed to sharpen. He sighed, indulging the poor retainer. He picked up the miso soup and raised the bowl to his lips, pausing only a moment.

 _What if this was how they killed him_?

But, suddenly, his body moved of its own accord, slurping greedily at the broth. Matching his previous assessment, it was incredibly watery, but it had a faint undertone of home to it. The warmth spread through his stomach quickly, dispelling some of the damp coldness he had come to experience in the cell. All too soon, he had drained the bowl in one go.

He moved onto the rice, eating quickly. He apparently held the fork wrong—Odin tried to correct him in vain—but more importantly, he was able to finish the meal. After days of having nothing in his stomach, he finally felt satisfied, if not a little bit nauseous.

Odin looked overjoyed. "I must tell Lord Leo of this success!" he said, jumping up and sprinting away.

Takumi felt himself pale. Success? Was he…

He knew too much time had passed since he had eaten the food. Upheaving it now would do nothing to chase away potential poisons. His nausea washed over him, increasingly strong. Had he just killed himself?

Time passed, marked by the dripping of the leak. He wasn't given a twelfth tray as the gray light faded into darkness.

Though, he realized as he laid on his cot, he hadn't succumbed to poison, yet.

Had he even been poisoned?

His searching eyes found the outside of his cell.

Time passed, and when he didn't die the next day, or the next, or the next, he finally came to terms that he hadn't been poisoned by Odin.

He began to accept the food brought by the dark mage.

* * *

He woke to total darkness.

Not even torchlight. He couldn't feel the reassuring cot underneath him, either. He pushed himself into a sitting position, desperately feeling around for anything that would give him a key to his surroundings. His hand found something soft—fabric? Wandering blindly, he realized the fabric was attached to a person. Clothing.

"Hello?" he called, feeling quite stupid.

He was holding the arm of the person. He tried to shake them awake, but to no avail—they remained on the ground. He shoved himself up again until he was in a crouching position. His hands wandered down the person's arms until he checked their pulse.

The blood rushed to his ears as he realized they didn't have one.

As if the realization had cued it, the light suddenly returned, flooding the featureless area. Kamui laid beneath him, her gray hair spooling outwards from her body. A clean, cauterized wound ran through her, leaving a gaping hole in her chest. Through it, the floor was visible.

With horror, he recoiled from the body, the stench suddenly hitting him. He clamped a hand over his nose and mouth, but immediately the metallic tang of blood reached his tongue. He quickly withdrew his hand, finding it to be covered in blood.

Someone was breathing raggedly behind him.

He whirled, finding Ryoma, crouching on the ground, clutching his side. A cauterized wound not unlike Kamui's had sliced through his armor, exposing the skin beneath. Ryoma barely had the strength to lift his head, his eyes shining in fear.

Horror's icy fingers gripped Takumi, freezing him in place.

Behind Ryoma, impaled through the eye and chest respectively, were Sakura and Hinoka, their bodies carelessly sprawling where they had fallen.

"Takumi…why would you do this?" Ryoma finally asked, barely voicing the words between ragged breaths.

"I—I didn't—" Takumi began, but he found himself moving of his own accord. The Fujin Yumi appeared in his blood-soaked hands, and with trembling fingers he summoned the string, drawing it.

 _No, no, NO!_

He could only watch in horror as his body moved of its own accord. He drew the arrow of wind back to his ear, settling into the stance. Ryoma was at point blank range—there was no way he would miss this. He screamed and tried to stop himself, but his fingers slowly unfurled from the string.

The arrow struck Ryoma through the chest.

" _No_!" Takumi finally screamed aloud, dashing forward but unable to reach his brother, seemingly halted in midair, his hand outstretched—

He woke, gasping.

"Are you quite alright?"

His gaze snapped to the entrance to the cell. Anyone but _him_.

Prince Leo of Nohr, also known as the dirtiest scum imaginable, stood, a look of _pity_ written across his features.

"I don't need your sympathy," Takumi spat, becoming red-faced despite trying to shove his embarrassment down. Rage anew washed through him. " _Get out_!"

Prince Leo's face remained unchanged. "There's no need to be so hostile, Prince Takumi," he said, infuriatingly collected. "And, to be quite frank, you don't have the ability to force me away."

Takumi snarled, pushing himself to his feet and lunging for the bars. Prince Leo took a hasty step back as Takumi's hands reached for his collar. He had done so just in time—Takumi's hands brushed air.

"Listen, _Nohrian scum_ ," he growled, "the only thing saving you right now are these bars. The moment I get out of here, I'm going to rip your throat out. You don't deserve an honorable death. The _traitor_ doesn't deserve an honorable death."

Prince Leo's eyes suddenly sparked, and he was the one to surge forward, grabbing Takumi through the bars by the jumpsuit. Takumi, taken off guard, flew forward, impacting the hard metal with a harsh clang. Seething, he looked into the face of the prince of Nohr, who wasn't so emotionless now.

"The only reason you're still alive is at my sister's insistence," the mage hissed in a low growl, his eyes burning wells of anger. "But if you threaten her _one more time_ , I don't give a damn what she says. You'll soon find out what I do to my enemies."

"Real scary," Takumi took the opportunity to spit in Prince Leo's face. "I can take it."

The bars were wide enough that Prince Leo could accurately swing, slamming his fist into the side of Takumi's jaw. Unable to squirm away, Takumi took the full brunt of the blow, seeing stars. He brought his own fists up in retaliation, but the _coward_ released him and stepped out of his range, brushing his clothes off nonchalantly.

"Forgive me," he said, but it didn't sound very genuine at all. Takumi could hear the sarcasm dripping off of every syllable. "I'm just here to inform you that you will be brought before King Xander tomorrow morning."

 _King_ Xander?

Had Garon perished in the fight with Hoshido? A rush of sickening glee raced through Takumi. Garon was dead. And he was to meet Xander in the morning.

"What, with this?" Takumi gestured to his jaw, which was already swelling. "That'd do wonders for public image."

Prince Leo's lip raised. "You got what you deserved. The Nohrian people will surely understand that. They don't particularly favor Hoshidans; public image is not a problem. Sit tight for now, little prince. Your punishment will come soon. I hope your death doesn't come too swiftly."

"I'm being threatened by a man whose collar is inside out," Takumi said bluntly, crossing his arms.

Prince Leo instinctively checked before cursing under his breath. Though a small victory, Takumi felt a rush of satisfaction as the Nohrian strode away.

* * *

 **Welcome to my story! I would like to explain a few things before proceeding.**

 **I've already written the majority of this story out, but this is definitely something I write when I need to unwind, so it isn't edited or beta-read, unfortunately. Please forgive any mistakes!**

 **However, since this is something I write at leisure, I will also send out chapters in much the same way. I probably won't update on a set schedule unless this story gains popular demand, but I will attempt to make updates frequent. Feel free to leave a review on your thoughts and on characterizations-I've decided to deviate just the slightest amount from the actual game.**

 **And never fear! Ylisse is near...**

 **Ish. In a few chapters. So have patience!**


	2. Loss

"Prince of light!"

Takumi groaned.

Odin strode alongside the one-eyed man who looked as though he wished to be elsewhere. Takumi didn't blame him. Odin was a bit…much.

"I have been brought before you to summon you to the chambers of our king of darkness!" Odin proclaimed, a ring of keys jangling in his hand.

Suddenly, Takumi was paying attention. His gaze sharpened as it zeroed in on the keys. He could escape, wrestle with Odin and One-Eye, and—

But there were guards outside his block. Maybe he could take out one of them, too?

He was thinking too optimistically. A bow was slung across One-Eye's back. A tome rested at Odin's side. They were obviously adept at both weapons, having fought their way up to be Prince Leo's retainers. Though, if he could take out One-Eye and grab his bow…

Odin would still have the upper hand. Tomes were good for both long range and close combat.

The bars swung wide to open, and all of Takumi's thoughts scattered as if afraid One-Eye and Odin could read them.

Takumi muttered crossly to himself as he stepped out of the cell. No cuffs were placed on his wrists. One-Eye and Odin fell into step behind him as he exited the prison block, blinking as he emerged into a wing of the castle.

The castle itself was dark, especially compared to Shirasagi.

Shadows collected in corners, swirling in intoxicating niches. The ruby red carpet adorned with a slight gold trim was positioned over dark stone. Archways curved above Takumi's head, disappearing into the darkness above. Torchlight flickered in the halls, causing the shadows to dance like marionettes on a puppeteer's string.

They continued through a twisting array of halls, so much to the point where Takumi stopped trying to count the turns. There was no doubt in his mind that the two retainers were taking the long route so Takumi wasn't able to map out the castle properly.

Interestingly enough, they descended downwards, staircases taking them farther into the depths of the castle. This made Takumi pause—was the prison closer to the sky? Was it on an upper floor? Why?

When the halls began to blur together and Takumi was beginning to feel fatigue, they finally stopped before a pair of double doors that stretched up, nearly to the ceiling. They were made of a dark, lacquered wood, gold trim squirming down their lengths. Odin stepped forward, and the doors swung open with a creak.

The same carpet crawled up a magnificent staircase that lead to a throne positioned high above the ground floor. Takumi was ushered in, blinking. Torches lined the walls, but they were much larger, giving off much more light. It wasn't enough to chase away the shadows.

The king of Nohr, Xander, stood facing the throne, not seeing Takumi's entrance.

To his left and right stood his siblings.

Takumi forced himself to stare straight ahead, lowering a hostile gaze upon Xander.

"Prince Takumi," the Nohrian king said, inclining his head ever so slightly. Takumi bit back a retort. "My apologies for the way you were treated here in Nohr. I have called you here to personally inform you that the war has ended."

Takumi inhaled sharply. "What of Hoshido?" he blurted, stepping forward. A hand on his shoulder halted him. One-Eye prevented him from ascending the stairs and getting any closer to the king.

"I don't want to embellish my words," Xander said, seeming hesitant. Takumi's eyes narrowed. What did this Nohrian have to hide? Surely he would be fed propaganda, now. He was at the mercy of the king of Nohr. "Nohr invaded Hoshido under the rule of my father, King Garon. He was possessed by an evil spirit, one that would not relinquish its hold on him. We realized this too late.

"My siblings and I advanced on the Hoshidan throne room while you were unconscious. My father sat in the throne, revealing his true form—a water demon." Xander was reluctant once more, glancing to his sides. Takumi's eyes unwittingly followed, finding the purple-haired Princess Camilla and that _prick_ Prince Leo on one side, Princess Elise and the _traitor_ on the other.

Takumi tried to avert his gaze once more, but something compelled him to look.

Kamui—Corrin stared at him with a piercing gaze.

"What of my siblings?"

The words came unbidden, betraying Takumi. He couldn't seem to control himself. Bitterly, he bit the words back again, scowling.

"Princess Sakura was…retrieved from imprisonment during the war."

 _She was rescued. Thank the gods._

"Princess Hinoka was spared," Xander continued, "and returned to Hoshido unharmed."

There was another long, dreadful pause. Takumi was almost afraid to ask the question poised on his tongue—was he more afraid of the question, or the answer?

"Prince Ryoma didn't make it."

Takumi's world came crashing down.

* * *

Takumi was given a guest room in the castle, but he knew he was as much a prisoner here as he was in the cell.

He was also given a pad of paper, an inkwell and quill.

…admittedly, he had no idea how to use the quill.

He was thankfully discovered by Odin, who swore on his honor that he wouldn't tell anyone else about Takumi's lack of skill pertaining to the quill. Odin wrote Takumi's words in elegant, somewhat embellished script, but in the end it sounded like Takumi (even if it didn't look like his handwriting). Takumi thanked the retainer, who left with a flourishing bow.

"I don't mean to intrude."

The door creaked shut, and Takumi looked up from where he was studying a book on Nohrian cuisine through the ages. In the old days, spices were very important to the Nohrians—now, they weren't as picky. Takumi thought back to Hoshidan dishes. They relied rather heavily on seafood and sauces and pastes made from plants rather than spices.

A stranger stood in the doorway. His gray hair was darker than Corrin's, duller than Takumi's. Unlike most of the Nohrians he had met, the man wore a deep navy blue shirt embroidered with golden pieces. A dark shoulder plate rested over one shoulder, the only Nohrian armor on the man. Takumi found this interesting. The man's skin, too, was warm, much like Odin's. He didn't seem to be the ideal Nohrian.

"I am Laslow, one of Prince Xander's retainers," the man said in a quieter voice than Takumi had guessed, sweeping into a bow. Takumi's eyes narrowed, trying to figure the man out. "I've come bearing news from Hoshido."

Takumi found himself rushing to his feet. Halfway up, he caught himself, and slowly straightened the rest of the way. He made a show of carefully placing the bookmark on his page and closing the book before turning to face Laslow fully. The man's features were soft and welcoming.

"Princess Hinoka has yet to receive your letter," Laslow began reluctantly. "Though, I think you'd be happy to know that we have been given permission to return you to Hoshido."

"Is there a 'but' in there?" Takumi asked, crossing his arms. He knew there was, somewhere, and Laslow's smile dropped.

"Unfortunately, yes," Laslow said, turning away to face the rest of the room. His eyes wandered over the furnishings, but Takumi's own gaze remained on Laslow. "There is a current rebellion against King Xander near the Hoshidan border with Nohr. We can't return you through a war zone without risking your safety. Until the rebel leaders are willing to open negotiations and end this, we can't get you back to Hoshido."

Takumi grunted, impatience rising in his throat. "I've been in Nohr for over a month," he finally said, ignoring the fact that he had been unconscious for two weeks of that. "Surely there's a way around."

Laslow shook his head regretfully. "Perhaps. But the way would be hard to find."

"Then find it."

"We must concentrate our forces on the rebellion. I'm sorry."

"Do you know what it's like to be ripped away from your homeland?"

The question came out sharper than Takumi had intended. He immediately winced as Laslow's gaze darkened, a faraway look coming to his eyes. Perhaps he _had_ been ripped away from his homeland.

Takumi's thoughts were all but confirmed when Laslow murmured, "Yes, I do know."

Before Takumi could apologize, the retainer turned on his heel and strode out of the room. Takumi felt as though he were missing something. He pushed down the guilt rising in his throat—he shouldn't be guilty. Laslow was a Nohrian, after all, no different from the traitor.

Still, thinking about Hoshido, reuniting with Hinoka, Sakura, Ry—

Takumi bit his tongue, harsh, until he tasted copper in his mouth. Tears sprang to his eyes, but he equated them to pain. He focused in on it, on the blood in his mouth, the sting of his tongue. He blocked out any other thoughts, focusing solely on the pain. Good.

He busied himself about the room. He read whenever he could, but when that became too routine and other thoughts began to invade, he turned to his workouts again. He had a slightly larger room now with more space to practice. He went through the motions of drawing a bow, correcting his stance, but it wasn't the same. He soon gave up on that particular activity, trying to find other things to do.

He took all the silky sheets off the bed and re-made it using only the fluffy sheets on top. He rearranged the furniture, even going so far as to throwing some chairs into the closet. When he emerged, it looked a bit less…Nohrian. Nothing in the room screamed _Nohrian_ —but nothing screamed _Hoshidan_ , either. It was as if he had discovered an entirely new culture. Through furniture.

Though his tasks were fruitless and useless, he knew he couldn't sit still. Outside, it was still light out. Lunch had arrived in the form of one of Princess Camilla's retainers. The silent retainer left quickly, and it was only the creaking of the door shutting that alerted Takumi. He found the tray of food to be Nohrian. Used to Odin's doting, he pushed it away again. Perhaps they weren't receiving supplies with the rebellion blocking routes to Hoshido.

When the sun dipped below the horizon, Takumi decided it was a good time as any to get some sleep. Before he could, however, Niles—as Takumi had learned One-Eye's name from Odin earlier—returned with a tray in hand. The one-eyed man looked as though he wanted to say more, but he stayed his tongue, leaving Takumi in sullen silence.

Takumi kicked the tray aside with the other one, instead dressing in his nightclothes and crawling into the sheets. All night, his skin felt hot and feverish to the touch. He tossed and turned, trying to block out any straying thoughts by conjuring mental images of landscapes. Sometime deep into the night or early into the morning, Takumi finally gave up.

Sickness rose in his throat as he thought about his brother. His brother, who was felled in battle. Given an honorable death, but also an unnecessary one. If Takumi had been stronger, he could have stopped Nohr. If Takumi had properly defended the fort, the tide of war could have been changed.

But Takumi wasn't strong. He had cast himself off the wall of the fort, for the gods' sake.

Nausea swept over him anew. He curled in on himself, wanting to escape the feeling. He would never be good enough. He didn't _deserve_ to live. He hadn't defended Hoshido. He didn't belong there any longer. The shame was too great—he had lost, and his brother had died. His brother had committed seppuku to ease Corrin's conscience.

 _It was all Corrin's fault._

His skin was once more hot and itchy. He writhed in bed, the sheets he had so meticulously draped over the mattress now tangled in his legs. His long hair was stuck to his back, drenched in sweat. He sat up, knowing how foul he must smell.

Inside, he was aflame.

He felt as though he were going to burn up on the spot. He stood to rush to the window, but his head began to pulse. All too quickly, it escalated until he clutched it, groaning in pain. He stumbled over to the window, fumbling with the lock in his hazy state. What did…

Before he realized what he was doing, he thrust the window open, two hands braced against its sides. He was ready to launch himself out of the window and into the night air.

 _The drop is fatal!_

He didn't know what he was doing—his thoughts seemed jumbled, his mind confused. His body wanted to jump, _to jump_ , but he knew somewhere deep down that he shouldn't. He grappled with himself, and the migraine increased tenfold. His iron grip on the window left to clutch his head again, and a scream ripped free of clenched teeth.

"Prince Takumi!"

He felt himself being grabbed from behind. Gasping, he brought his hands around to fight off his assailant, but he couldn't twist in the strong grip. He found his assailant's face and punched as hard as he could, but the attacker's embrace only loosened slightly. The thundering of boots reached his ears as if through water.

 _Succumb!_

 _No!_

"…betrayal!" the word ripped free of his throat at its own accord, and suddenly Takumi shifted his weight, throwing the attacker off. He lunged forward, but faces swam before him. Ryoma, Xander, Hinoka, Camilla, Sakura, Leo, Elise—all blending together until they formed Kamui.

" _Do you know what you've done to me_?!" he screamed, leaping on another. Underneath him, a lithe form crashed to the ground. His fingers found the other's throat.

"Unhand her!"

"Prince Takumi, _what are you doing_?!"

It was absolute chaos. He didn't know what was going on. Faces and shapes were blurring together, and it was as if he were watching from very far away. He couldn't make sense of anything—what was there to make sense of? He was only aware of his body's actions, of _his own_ actions. He had nearly strangled someone to death.

The migraine began to subside. The flames died down, but he could still feel the glowing embers settle themselves in the pit of his stomach.

With the dousing of the flames, he seemed to return to himself.

He felt a great need to let his eyes slip closed, but he needed to know: _just what did he do_?

He blinked around, letting his eyes adjust. Torchlight lit the room and bathed it in an orange glow. His sheets were thrown onto the floor. Behind him, the window was cracked, and blood splattered the sill. Odin sat against the wall, clutching a bloodied nose. His eyes were swollen, and blood caked the side of his face.

Takumi was being held by one of Corrin's retainers, along with Niles. He tried to jerk out of their grip on instinct, but their hold only tightened. The floor trembled and the stones split, strong vines snaking their way up Takumi's legs and arms before he could register them. The two retainers released him, but he was ensnared in the vines. He felt them prick him where they writhed around his limbs—upon closer inspection, they were equipped with thorns.

Prince Leo stood, Brynhildr held out from his body. At his feet sprawled Corrin, who was holding a gentle hand to her throat.

Bruises in the shape of hands encircled her neck.

It all came to Takumi in a rush. He had tried to leap, only to be stopped by Odin. He then dispatched Odin before pushing past Niles and the old man retainer. Then, he had _nearly strangled Corrin to death_.

"Brother!"

"Leo! Corrin! Is everything alright?"

King Xander entered, followed closely by Princess Elise. Takumi felt himself shrink back against the vines, which only pulled him forward. Horror at his own actions echoed hollowly through him. He wanted to desperately apologize to Corrin, to tell Prince Leo and King Xander that it wasn't his fault, to tell Princess Elise to turn and look the other direction, she was just a child—

"Take Corrin to the med bay," Prince Leo ordered Princess Elise stiffly. The princess sniffled before bending down, gently helping Corrin up. Corrin's retainer jumped to follow.

"Don't…hurt…him," Corrin gasped between breaths as she was escorted away.

Prince Leo didn't say anything.

"What happened here?" King Xander asked the moment Corrin, Elise, and the retainer were out of sight and earshot.

"The _Hoshidan_ attacked our dear sister," Prince Leo reported to Xander, his steely glare still fixed on Takumi. He felt the vines tighten around him, and it was all he could do not to cry out in pain. "We show him hospitality, and he performs an act of war. So soon after our last, too."

Takumi was wise enough to know that an outburst at this time wouldn't be beneficial.

"I wonder how Hoshido will fare after a second war?" The vines tightened. "Would Princess Hinoka survive? Would Princess Sakura perish? Truly, _Prince Takumi_ , what do you think?"

"Don't you _dare_ talk about my sisters!" Takumi was ready to rip free of these vines, and he began to struggle against their hold. He was beginning to lose feeling in his hands.

"And don't you _dare_ attack mine!" Leo all but screeched, and a vine began to encircle Takumi's neck, making him freeze. "You've already lost. Accept it! She is _not_ your sister! Accept your losses with dignity, not with underhanded cruelty."

"Milord, if I may."

Odin stood, having found a handkerchief to blot at his nose. His voice was hoarse, incredibly so. Every breath was a wheeze. He stepped forward, drawing alongside Takumi, who didn't dare turn his neck.

"I arrived to the room first," Odin said, his gaze shifting from King Xander's to Leo's. "Prince Takumi was attempting to hurl himself out the window."

"An escape plan?" Leo snorted. "Not a very effective one. The drop would have killed the sturdiest of men."

"…I don't believe it was an escape plan, milord."

Takumi blinked. The fire _had_ tried to make him jump. He remembered now, standing on the parapet, poised to jump—he remembered the fear, the exhilaration. He remembered the ugly _want_ of survival, and he remembered grabbing onto the stone to stop his fall.

And, the hand that had reached him…

"Go to the med bay," Leo snapped at Odin. He then turned to his older brother, whose face was torn asunder with emotion. Xander then closed his eyes, the mask of emotionlessness washing back over his features.

"Lock the window, permanently," King Xander finally ordered. He sounded older than he actually was. Takumi glanced at the king, who looked weary in the torchlight. Lines creased the sides of his eyes and his forehead, making him appear much older. "We'll talk with Corrin in the morning. As for now, Leo, release Prince Takumi. Laslow and Selena will take turns guarding the _inside_ of this room to make sure Prince Takumi doesn't try anything. By morning, I will have made my decision."

"Decision?" Takumi asked. His voice was hoarse and raw, as if he hadn't used it for years.

"On your punishment," Xander said coolly. "Your letter still hasn't been delivered. Since this act of war was committed within Nohrian borders, we could perform a secret execution and allow our peace with Hoshido to continue. I will be entirely transparent, here: you will be assumed dead from the war, and your penance will be paid. In return for your death, we will not wage war on Hoshido."

Takumi wanted to cry out from the unfairness of it all. Hinoka and Sakura still didn't know he was alive, and his letter would never be delivered. He would instead be killed in secret as "penance." But it would prevent a war with Hoshido, his homeland. No doubt, Hoshido was struggling to recover with the loss of its crown prince and queen all within the span of a few months.

"…if that is what it takes to ensure my people's safety, then so be it."

He tried to put on a brave front. It worked; Xander simply nodded and departed from the room. Despite his apparent indifference, Takumi could see the visible tenseness of the king's shoulders. Leo swept out of the room soon after, followed by Niles, who supported Odin. Laslow took up a position by the door, leaning against the wall in a casual position.

Takumi tried not to glare at him. He knew he couldn't go to sleep, now. Not with Laslow here to watch him. That would be creepy.

Though, exhaustion pulled at him. The flames had died down, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind. He tried valiantly to stay up, aware of Laslow's constant presence. A torch mounted on the wall flickered, its flame performing a mesmerizing dance.

Takumi was beginning to feel sick again, watching it. He averted his gaze from the torch, but it didn't help much. The flame…a cold shiver rippled down his spine, causing him to shudder in discomfort. He laid back against the bed, still in his nightclothes. Dried sweat clung to him like a bad smell.

His eyes slid shut of their own accord.

* * *

 **Hey, all!**

 **Last author's note, I feel as though I came off too detached and serious. So...sorry about that. I hope it didn't scare off any potential reviewers.**

 **Again, this isn't beta-read or anything like this, this is simply something that I write for fun in my free time. I'm already quite far along in the story, but I've encountered a few roadblocks. I have, unfortunately, had to rewrite an entire plot point because I simply wasn't satisfied with how it turned out, so I apologize if chapters will roll out later than expected.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, along with the variations of characterizations I've provided. Of course, they're not quite evident yet, but they will be explored in future chapters to come. I'm especially excited to share a newly-improved Ylissean with you all...I believe you'll enjoy his characterization greatly.**


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